Five of Earth
The Five of Earth energies prompts: Soothe the pain of those in need. Even the wounded can heal. You have the skills it takes to survive any crisis.
Five of Earth: Pentacles
The Five of Earth energies manifest in The Slippery Elm.
Slippery Elm
Economic and physical hardship may cause stress. Setbacks can take you by surprise and reduce vitality. Alienation from you support system compounds the issue.
While slippery elm is a valued botanical; for the first few years of life the bark provides medicine for inflammation and materials for baskets. Its health is threatened by Dutch elm disease. All trees eventually become susceptible.
Slippery elm teaches that even in hard times we have access to our resources if we do not lose faith. You have the skills to protect what remains and make it through this crisis. Create a warm and comforting place to hole up while your situation improves.
Qualities
| Neutral: Positive | Negative |
| unemployment frustration adversity spiritual awareness faith restored the end of poverty or unemployment | temporary financial hardship negative change in circumstances feeling left out in the cold financial loss recession feeling the world is against you adversity struggle hardship bad luck homelessness poverty unemployment |
Crafting With the Five of Earth
The five energies feature plants that are listed as threatened or endangered with United Plant Savers, an organization whose mission is to protect the native medicinal plants of North America. The plants of the Fives have been affected by climate change, over harvesting, deforestation, development and disease. They require specific conditions for growth and are difficult to cultivate. They are among some of our most potent healing plants. Their loss would be devastating.
The Challenge the herbcrafter faces in the second mini-drama comes from the larger world beyond herself. She has created sanctuary with the Fours in her own garden, but she sees the threats from the outside world to these beloved botanicals. The herbs of the Fives specifically confront humanity’s relationship with nature. The herbcrafter becomes aware of how the choices of the dominant culture influence the ecosystem. She will be charged with standing up for what is right. The fives spark action that leads to community and conservation.
Craft
- Take slippery elm lozenges to soothe a stomach upset by worry and stress.
- Honor the gifts of slippery elm. Support United Plant Savers’ efforts to protect this plant.
- Take a wild skills class and learn to make containers from slippery elm bark.
Mini Meditation
Meditation
Get into a relaxing position and close your eyes, make sure you are a comfortable temperature and not likely to be interrupted.
- Take three deep breaths
- Feel your tension melting away.
Imagine yourself doing one of the crafts mentioned above. Use your imagination. Make it as elaborate or as simple as you like. Have whomever you would like to be there come and share the time with you.
Imagine what it would look and feel like, as if it were really happening. Use your five senses and imagine all the sensory details as though you are really there.
Be creative and indulge in this moment.
Spend as long as you like in this visualization and feel the benefits of crafting with nature. Think about your meditation as often as you like as you go through your day. If possible, create it in reality.
The Herbcrafter
Herbcrafter
An herbcrafter is an afficianada of the botanical realm. She is in love with plants and longs to know them more deeply.
Her approach is driven by a playful, wild spirit.
The herbcrafter embraces the plant world as her teacher and friend through observation and botany, gardening and wildcrafting, medicine and kitchen craft, fiber arts and weaving, art and magic.
She recognizes herself as part of nature. She seeks reciprocity in all things. Through the relationship with the botanical world, she learns how plants and people can be of service to one another.
Success is not built on success. It’s built on failure. It’s built on frustration. Sometimes it’s built on catastrophe.
Sumner Redstone